Sluice gate



P 1968 c. PALMER ETAL 3,401,527

SLUICE GATE Iii- 20 r-ua F I 6. 4 n9 INVENTORS CHARLES EDWARD PALMER ROBERT a PALMER JOHN A. OLDENBURG United States Patent 3,401,527 SLUICE GATE Charles Edward Palmer, Robert H. Palmer, and John A.

Oldenburg, Fairview, Pa., assignors to Palmer Filter Equipment Company, Erie, Pa., a partnership firm Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 295,985,

July 18, 1963. This application Mar. 11, 1965, Ser.

4 Claims. (CI. 61-28) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The sluice gate according to the present invention has actuating member and a frame. The frame overlies a sluice opening and the track is supported at each side of the opening. The actuating members are in the form of bell cranks. The bell cranks have spaced parts attached to two actuators that move relative to each other and a roller is attached to a third part of the bell crank. The two relatively moving parts are connected to a operating device which will either lift the two relatively moving members together to open the gate or will move them relative to each other to lock the gate when the two relatively moving members are moved relative to each other, the roller on the third part of the bell crank is moved to lock the gate. An improved power operator device is connected to the operating member to operate it.

This application is a continuation in part of patent application, Ser. No. 295,985, filed July 18, 1963, now Patent No. 3,237,915.

In the sluice gate disclosed herein, tracks are supported, one at each side of the opening in the sluice gate. These tracks are made of channel like members that open toward each other. An elliptical engaging member is supported in each channel member and the side edges of a gate member are likewise slidably received in each channel member. The engaging members are attached to one end of the levers and the levers, in turn, are attached to the gate member at a position between their ends. At another position the levers are attached to an operating member so that when the operating member moves relative to the gate, the engaging members will force the edges of the gate member into sealing engagement with the tracks.

It is, accordingly, .an object of the present invention to provide an improved sluice gate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination sluice gate and operating means therefor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sluice gate which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efiicient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sluice gate according to the invention supported on a wall over an opening therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 3 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention;

3,401,527 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the levers with the roller and actuating member fixed thereto.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, a wall 20 is shown having a sluice opening 18 therein. The sluice valve shown has a rectangular frame 21 that fits into the sluice opening 18 and may be sealed thereto by suitable caulking. The rectangular frame 21 has the laterally spaced channel track members 28 extending along each side of the opening and they are attached thereto. The track members 28 have channels that open toward each other and slidably receive the valve member 10 which slides up and down in front of the seal 19. This seal may be made of rubber or other suitable material. The seal 19 may be imbedded in or attached to the rectangular frame 21 in a suitable manner to cooperate with the valve member 10.

The valve member 10 is attached to the lever 22 and to the engaging members 12 by a second pivot 24 which is attached to each side at vertically spaced positions. These levers 22 are attached to the engaging members .12 by a first pivot 23, and the levers are attached to the seating frame 11 by a third pivot 25. Thus, when the seating frame 11 is moved to its upper position, the eccentric engaging members 12 will swing out of engagement with the flanges 27 of the track members 28 and this will allow the valve member 10 to move out of engagement with the seal 19. When the seating frame 11 is moved down, it will swing the lever 22 around its pivot 24 and move the eccentric engaging member 12 into engagement with the flange 27 and thus force the valve member 10 into seating engagement with the seal 19. This operation is best shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 5.

The seating frame 11 is moved up and down by an electric motor 16 which is supported on the valve member 10 and it operates an internally threaded bevel gear 30 which engages the threaded stem 17 and moves the seating frame 11 up or down, depending on the way the motor 16 is driven.

The valve member 10 has a threaded rod 13 attached thereto and this threaded rod 13 engages an internally threaded bevel gear 32 which is driven by an electric motor 14. The electric motor 14 will drive the internally threaded gear 32 to move the threaded rod 13 and lift the valve member .10 up or down, depending on the direction the motor is driven. The electric motors 16 and 14 may have suitable electric controls 15 to drive them as desired.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a sluice opening 118 has a frame 121 similar to the frame shown in the other embodiment of the invention. The frame 121 has a seal 119 embedded therein which engages the valve member in its closed position. The track members 128 are supported at each side of the frame 121 and attached thereto. The levers 122 which are similar to the levers 22 in FIG. 1 are attached to the seating frame 111, the eccentric rollers 112, and the valve member 110, as shown.

In this embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder 116 acts between the seating frame .111 and the valve member 110 to move the two relative to each other through its piston rod 117. A second hydraulic cylinder 114 is attached to the piston rod 113 and this hydraulic cylinder 114 moves the valve member up and down as desired.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims- The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu- 1. In combination, a sluice gate and an actuating member comprising a frame adapted to overlie a sluice opening,

spaced track members adapted to be disposed one at each side of a sluice opening and attached to said frame,

said spaced track members each defining a channel opening toward each other,

a gate member,

said gate member having a guide and locking mechanism thereon,

said guide and locking mechanism comprising a plurality of lever arms,

each said lever arm having a first, a second, and a third spaced attaching means thereon,

engaging members moving in said channels of said spaced track members and operable for moving transversely of the channel into and out of engagement with a side wall of said channel,

a sealing surface on said frame on the downstream side thereof,

each said lever arm having a part attached to a said engaging member at said first spaced attaching means,

each said lever arm being attached to said gate member at said second spaced attaching means,

an actuating member,

said third spaced attaching means of said lever arm being attached to said actuating member,

and a fluid actuated member attached to said actuating member and to said gate member having means thereon for moving said actuating member relative to said gate member whereby each said lever arm is swung about said second spaced attaching means for moving the engaging member transversely of the channel against or away from said sidewall of the channel and said gate member is thereby moved toward and away from engagement with said sealing surface.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein fluid actuated member has one part attached to said gate member and another part attached to said actuating member and adapted to move said actuating member up and down relative to said gate member,

said actuating member has a second part attached to said gate member and another part fixed relative to said spaced track member for moving said gate member up and down relative to said spaced track members.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid actuated member comprises a hydraulic cylinsaid hydraulic cylinder whereby said piston is moved therein to swing said lever arms.

4. In combination, a sluice gate and an actuating member comprising a frame adapted to overlie a sluice opening,

spaced track members adapted to be disposed one at each side of a sluice opening and attached to said frame,

said spaced track members each defining a channel opening toward each other,

a gate member,

said gate member having a guide and locking mechanism thereon,

said guide and locking mechanism comprising a plurality of lever arms,

each said lever arm having a first, a second, and a third spaced attaching means thereon,

engaging members moving in said channels of said spaced track members and operable for moving transversely of the channel into and out of engagement with a sidewall of said channel,

.a sealing surface on said frame on the downstream side thereof,

each said lever arm having a part attached to a said engaging member at said first spaced attaching means,

each said lever arm being attached to said gate member at said second spaced attaching means,

an actuating member,

said third spaced attaching means of said lever arm being attached to said actuating member,

electric motor means attached to said actuating member and to said gate for moving said actuating member relative to said gate whereby said lever arm is swung about said second spaced attaching means for moving the engaging member transversely of the channel against or away from said said sidewall of the channel,

and second electric motor means attached to said gate and to said frame for lifting said gate relative to said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,240 7/1908 Taylor 6125 989,202 4/ 1911 Snow 25 l158 1,492,482 4/ 1924 Roots 251158 1,578,695 3/1926 \Vestrip 251--158 1,592,986 7/1926 Martin 251-158 1,630,407 5/ 1927 Roots 251204 X 1,722,752 7/ 1929 Karnath 251-158 2,360,752 10/1944 Mayo 6l--28 2,819,034 l/1958 Holderer 251-458 X 2,885,175 5/1959 Irving 251-203 X EARL I, WITMER, Primary Examiner. 

